MUSIC FOR WEDDINGS

Welcome to Saint Agatha’s Wedding Music site! I look
forward to speaking to you in person very soon, and planning
the music for your special celebration! I hope the following
information will answer any of the questions you may have
in regard to your wedding music.

Once you have booked your wedding date and time with your
priest or deacon, you should contact me at the above number
to set a mutually convenient time to meet at the church to
listen to and select your music. This meeting generally takes
one hour, and is one of the most enjoyable experiences in
your planning! You will be able to hear exactly what your
music will sound like in our beautiful Gothic church on our
world-class instruments, as well as have the opportunity
to address any questions you may have about your liturgy.
You will leave with a completed worksheet detailing the titles
and composers of the pieces you have chosen.

Please take a moment to review the items listed below, which
include many commonly asked questions about wedding music
in Catholic parishes. You are also always welcome to stop
by and say hello at the organ console after any weekend liturgy.
The console is to the right of the choir seating in the church.

IS THE PARISH ORGANIST / MUSIC DIRECTOR PRESENT FOR ALL
WEDDINGS?Yes. The parish Organist/Director of Music
is under contract with the parish to play for all liturgies
at St. Agatha’s
Church.

WILL WE NEED A CANTOR/SOLOIST? HOW DO WE SELECT ONE?If you are having a full Wedding Mass, we strongly recommend
a cantor/soloist due to the number of sung responses and
other places within the liturgy for sung music. If your wedding
consists of a ceremony only (no Mass), you may still have
a soloist, however, the ceremony is designed to be much shorter.
Whereas your soloist will have fewer places in which to sing,
the presence of a soloist is more optional for a ceremony.

Please be aware that in the past there have been a number
of guest soloists that have been unqualified to sing at Catholic
wedding liturgies. In order to avoid this, and to maintain
the high caliber of sacred music and liturgy for which Saint
Agatha’s is well known, we have a group of approved
soloists who are strongly recommended. Friends, family members,
and other singers who you may be considering as soloists
should have a thorough understanding of Roman Catholic liturgy
and music. During your meeting with the Music Director, several
soloists will be recommended based upon the style of music
you have chosen for your ceremony. If you wish, opportunities
will be arranged to listen to these soloists either via recordings,
or by visiting other parish events. Please know that we do
not seek to restrict your options, but rather, are committed
to providing the very best for you on such a special occasion!

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON MUSIC THAT CAN BE USED?YES.
The Roman Catholic Church, in it’s two thousand
year history, has gathered the richest repository of music
in the world! All of this music is available for your use!
Saint Agatha’s adheres to the liturgical guidelines
taught throughout the church on an international and archdiocesan
level. The basic rule is that music must be sacred in nature.
Show tunes, Broadway songs, and secular “hits” are
not permitted. As an example, “All I Ask Of You” from
Phantom of the Opera, “Danny Boy”, “Wind
Beneath My Wings”, and “Grow Old Along With Me” are
not considered appropriate for Catholic liturgy.

WHAT INSTRUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE AT SAINT AGATHA’S?Saint
Agatha’s is fortunate to possess some of the
finest musical instruments in the Archdiocese of Boston!
At the center of this collection is the massive pipe organ
in the upper church. It was built by the M.P. Moller Company
of Hagerstown, Maryland in 1988 and consists of three manuals
and pedal and nearly 4,000 pipes located in both the chancel
(altar area) as well as the rear gallery. The upper church
also features a new Clavinova piano/keyboard with a multitude
of sound features.

A very special musical gift for weddings is the carillon
located high in the tower over the church entrance. The 14
bronze bells were cast by the Petit & Fritsen Company
of The Netherlands in 1967, with the largest bell weighing
an enormous 5,860 pounds! It will serenade you and your guests
(as well as the rest of Milton!) as you exit the church following
your liturgy! For more detailed information and photos of
our instruments, please visit our main music web page.

WHAT ARE THE FEES AND WHEN ARE THEY DUE?The fee for the Music Director/Organist is set by the parish
at $175.00. This includes the consultation to select your
music, as well as the actual wedding liturgy.

Fees for other musicians, soloists, instrumentalists, etc.,
should be arranged with those musicians. They are considered
subcontracted by you, and their fee IS NOT covered within
the organist’s fee or church offering.

REHEARSALSThe Director of Music/Organist does not attend the
wedding rehearsal. Kathy Pritchard, the Wedding Coordinator,
will
be at the rehearsal to help you and your wedding party through
all the procedures. If you are having an outside soloist
(one not recommended by the parish), and they require any
rehearsals in addition to a short warm-up prior to the start
of the wedding itself, there is an additional fee of $75.00.

OTHER INSTRUMENTSYou are welcome to have additional instruments (i.e.: flute,
trumpet, strings) play along with the organist at your wedding.
The music director will be happy to recommend talented area
musicians to you, but it is your responsibility to make those
arrangements personally.

IN CONCLUSIONWe hope this information has been helpful. If anything is
unclear, please contact the Director of Music. Your music
staff is here at your service, is committed to artistic excellence,
and will work diligently to make your celebration a memorable
experience!